Term 1

Week 1. Introduction I: The Revival of Antiquity in the Renaissance (2-hour session)

Week 2. Introduction II: Humanism (2-hour session + 1 hour reading class)

Week 3. Humanism and the Celebration of Antiquity

Set Texts: Petrarch, letters to classical authors (Virgil and Cicero)

Week 4. Humanism and Education

Set Text: Bruni, On the Study of Literature

Week 5. Humanistic debates on Latin Language (Leonardo Bruni and Flavio Biondo)

Set Text: Bruni, Letter to Flavio Biondo

Week 6. Reading Week-No Class

Week 7. Humanism, Translation, Censorship

Set Texts: Bruni, On the Correct Way to Translate and Ficino, censored translation of Plato’s Charmides

Week 8. Humanism and the Bible

Set Text: Lorenzo Valla, On the Donation of Constantine

Week 9. Humanism and Art: The Rediscovery of the Laocoon

Set Text: Jacopo Sadoleto, The Laocoon

Week 10. Seminar Discussion

Term 2

Week 1. Humanism and Women I-Introduction

Week 2. Humanism and Women II

Set Text: Isotta Nogarola, Letter to Antonio Borromeo (1436 or 1437) and Consolatory Letter to Jacopo Antonio Marcello (1461)

Week 3. Humanism and Astrology

Set Text: Ficino, Letter to Paul of Middelburg

Week 4. Humanism and the Dignity of Man

Set Text: Giovanni Pico, Oration on the Dignity of Man

Week 5. Humanism and Poetry I

Set Text: Landino, Xandra

Week 6. Reading Week-No Class

Week 7. Humanism and Poetry II

Set Text: Jacopo Sannazaro, Epigram I, 2 (To his villa at Mergellina)

Week 8. Humanism and Imitation

Set Text: Gianfrancesco Pico's On Imitation

Week 9. Seminar Discussion

Week 10. Conclusion

Term 3

Week 1-3. Revision Classes